RE: What planes do you recommend as a first sailplane?
If you don't mind electric gliders the Skimmer 400 from hobby lobby is decent and cheap. They die cut the ribs though.
I have a Spectra too, and a Sig Riser. These are both pretty good fliers. I would be wary of ARF's if your gonna put it on a high start. You don't really know how much glue they use. Use titebond and epoxy for the dihedral braces, and web between the spars. We also use fiberglas reinforced packaging tape on the bottom spar under the covering. It is poor man's carbon fiber